


What was left unsaid

by JoAsakura



Series: Blood and Fire [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-24
Updated: 2014-09-24
Packaged: 2018-02-18 15:39:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2353652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoAsakura/pseuds/JoAsakura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>gearing up for DA:I, a sort- of- companion to Dust and Dreaming. Gavin Hawke, rogue and fallen champion, has a history even he doesn't know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What was left unsaid

It was a bitter Fereldan winter, icy fingers digging through the stout turf walls of the chasind hut.

"Leandra, love." Malcom soothed, all the magic in his hands unable to fully ease his wife’s pain. Malcom Hawke was force and elements, he was a combat mage, not a healer. "The midwife is coming soon."

"She’s going to die, you know." The voice behind him was somehow both a shock and utterly expected.

"Mother." Malcom turned as the old woman breezed past him. Her hand on Leandra’s forehead immediately quieted the pain and she fell silent. When she didn’t answer, his voice raised. "FLEMETH."

"I never had any use for boys, but you were always interesting, my little bird." She laughed, deep and throaty. "What is a hawk to a dragon, after all?"

"I love her mother." Malcom pleaded, as Flemeth ran her fingers along Leandra’s belly. "Please."

"The child inside of her is not viable. It will not live to take breath, and it will take your Leandra with it. But I can change that." The old woman’s eyes had fire behind them. "You lie with a lovely little witch I’ve chosen for you, and I will replace the child within your beloved wife."

"Mother, even your magic… she is ready to give birth and even if I lay with another now.." Malcom started, but Leandra’s soft moans stilled him. "Can you really..?"

"You ask that, even now?" She purred.

"If it will save Leandra, I’ll do it." Malcom sighed. "Maker take my soul."

~~

Leandra lay in the messy bed, Malcom fussing with the bloody sheets as the elderly midwife swaddled the infants. “Twins.” She said, blearily. “These… they aren’t mine. Red hair. “

"Don’t be silly dear." The old woman mopped her brow. "I pulled these little mewling things right from your belly. They’re quite yours." Malcolm froze as the old woman coughed delicately. "But the chasind, they do not like twins. Bad omen, that, and I think they run strong in your husband’s blood. I will take one, under cover of night. I will find him the very best of homes."

"Yes. Yes of course." Leandra’s eyes were heavy. "Where is my baby? These aren’t mine…" She mumbled as sleep took her again.

"Mother." Malcom took the babies and gently held them as Flemeth gathered her cloak about her.

"She’ll forget when she wakes. Forget all of this." The old woman said. "I’m not needlessly cruel, little bird. If you choose to try again, it will go easier. I’ve seen to that. But these hatchlings? These babes are destined for interesting lives." She took one from her son. "I know a family who would love to have another son, and whom I could use a favour from in the future."

"Will they have magic? Between Leandra’s family and…" Malcom cradled the remaining infant close to him.

"That, dear boy, is up to you." Flemeth laughed, and then, like the winds outside, she was gone.

~~

Leandra was heavy with the twins when it happened. Malcom and his little redhaired shadow were off picking herbs for potions when the wild dogs attacked. The magic flared from his fingers and froze one solid in it’s tracks, while another surged past him.

"GAVIN!" He roared as the beast knocked the little boy down, blood spattering on the dusty earth. "NO!"

There was a beat, and the wolf exploded in a flurry of guts and fur, the boy’s eyes terrified. (Blood magic.) Malcom’s heart stopped, then restarted as he scooped the child in his arms.

"Daddy?" Gavin sobbed in his arms. "What did I do?"

"Nothing." Malcom said firmly. "It was all daddy’s doing. You didn’t do anything at all."

~~

He was dying, Hawke knew, blood running hot down his freezing flesh as the Arishok’s blade wrenched free of his guts. Fenris was shouting, Anders.. all of them. He was dying and he’d never be able to apologise, never be able to tell any of them how he felt.

"HAWKE!!!"

And somewhere, somewhere deep inside, a spark of dragon fire ignited in his blood and turned his pain into destruction.


End file.
